Plastic ring assembly



y 5; 1970 w. E. BR'AESE 3,510,644,

PLASTIC RING ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 4, 1967 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM E. BRAESE United States Patent "ice US. Cl. 240-10.6 4 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Each ring assembly includes a relativelylarge diameter clock face ring of transparent material having a gummedback, from which one can remove the protective covering ring so thatpressure sensitive adhesive is exposed permitting application of thering to an aviators clock face with the numbers 13 to 24 on this ring atthe regularly spaced intervals similar to the l to 12 numerals on theface of the clock, so that the aviator can read the hours instantly interms of 13 to 24 from 1 pm. on without having to do any mentalarithmetic. The secondary set of numerals appear radially inwardly withrespect to the other set on the clock face for instant reading of anytime--a.m. or p.m. Integral with each clock face ring are two otherrings of smaller diameters in concentric relation die-cut to beseparable readily from one another upon breakage of a few narrow webs atwidely spaced points circumferentially of the rings, these inner ringsbeing of predetermined internal and external diameters to be useful asbattery adaptor rings in flashlights in an emergency in the event a cellgoes dead and the aviator doesnt happen to have the right size cell toinsert in the flashlight and must, therefore, make an undersized cell doduty until the proper sized one or ones can be supplied, these emergencyrings being easily stored in the flashlight case behind the reflector orinside the screw-on cap so as to be certain of being available forimmediate use when needed.

This invention relates to a plastic ring assembly, which whileespecially designed for use by aviators, because of the urgent need thebattery adaptor rings will fill in an emergency, is, or course, adaptedfor use by others also, wherever and whenever the ability to utilizeundersized battery cells, at least temporarily, might arise.

In the plastic ring assembly of my invention, a relatively largediameter outer ring of transparent plastic material has a gummed backfrom which one can remove a protective covering ring to expose pressuresensitive adhesive permitting application of the ring to the face of anaviators clock within the circle of the numerals l to 12 thereon andenable use of the numerals 13 to 24 provided on the ring in uniformlyspaced relation for the aviator to read the time instantly in terms of13 to 24 from 1 pm. on without having to do any quick mental arithmeticwhile there are other more pressing problems on his mind. The clock facering, when die-cut of clear transparent plastic sheet material, wouldnecessitate wasting of a fairly large diameter disk of the material, butthat is avoided in accordance with my invention by the die-cutting, atthe same time, of two inner concentric rings, each having the internaland external diameters thereof in proper relationship to standard sizesof battery cells and flashlight cases so these rings may be used asbattery adaptor rings in flashlights, the inner rings being connected toeach other and to the outer ring by a few narrow widely spaced webs thatcan be easily broken when separating the inner rings from the outer oneand from one another. These adaptor rings may be stored 3,510,644Patented May 5, 1970 inside the flashlight case at opposite ends so asto be available for immediate use whenever an emergency arises.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a face view of an aviators clock showing the adaptor ring ofmy invention bearing the numerals 13 to 24 properly applied to the facethereof;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section 0n the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 are perspective views, FIG. 3 showing the completethree ring assembly, and FIGS. 4 and 5 the detached inner rings usefulas battery adaptor rings;

FIG. 6 is an edge-wise view of the clock face ring shown in FIGS. 1 and3 with the thickness thereof exaggerated enough to enable betterillustration of the removable protective ring on the back covering thepressure sensitive adhesive provided on that ring;

FIG. 7 is a cross-section through a flashlight battery usingconventional battery cells but having stored in the opposite ends of thecase battery adaptor rings like that shown in FIG. 4 for use in anemergency;

FIG. 8 is a similar section showing the emergency battery adaptor ringsshown in FIG. 7 in use for undersize battery cells, and

FIG. 9 is a similar section through another flashlight of a size thatwould normally utilize cells of the size shown in FIG. 8, "but utilizingsmaller sized cells with adaptor rings of the smaller size shown in FIG.5.

Similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughoutthe views.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 10 in FIG. 3 designatesthe plastic ring assembly that is die-cut from clear transparent sheetplastic material to provide ultimately three rings 11, 12, and 13, thelargest one 11 being the ring shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6 applicable tothe cover glass 14 on the face of an aviators clock preferably by meansof pressure sensitive adhesive 15 when the protective covering ring 16shown in FIG. 6 has been stripped off. This ring 11, after removal fromthe assembly 10, has the pressure sensitive adhesive 15 and protectivecovering ring 16 applied to the back thereof, and has applied to itsfront face a secondary set of clock numerals 13 to 24 imprinted inuniformly spaced relation around the marginal portion thereof, asindicated at 17 in FIG. 1, to .be disposed radially inwardly withrespect to the numerals 1 to 12 on the clock face 18, as indicated at19, thereby enabling the aviator to read the ptm. times in terms of 13to 24 and the am. times in terms of 1 to 12 without having to do anymental arithmetic. Thus, the clock hands 20 in FIG. 1 show the time as 4am. or 16 pm, and the aviator reads this time directly without having toperform the mental arithmetic problem of adding 12 to 4 to arrive at the16 required. With so many other things on his mind during flight,especially under trying circumstances, an aviator usually appreciatesthis convenience. The ring 11, being transparent, enables one to see thehands 20 through the ring 11 and the cover glass 14. The hour hand movesinside the circle of the numerals 13 to 24 so that it does not interferein any way with the reading of any of these numerals.

The inner concentric rings 12 and 13 of the plastic ring assembly 10when die-cut with the ring 11 are purposely left connected with the ring11 and with one another by narrow webs 21 at widely spaced intervals ofapproximately these webs being narrow enough to enable easily breakingthe same to separate the rings 12 and 13 from one another and from thering 11, leaving small projections 21' on the inner and outercircumferences of ring 12 and on the outer circumference only of ring 13at the three widely spaced points. These projections do not interfere atall with the use of the rings 12 and 13 as battery adaptor rings, but,in fact, are considered helpful in the sense that they insure a tighterfit in the bore of the flashlight case and on the circumference of thebattery cell over which the rings must he slipped, as for example inentering the rings 12 in the flashlight case 22 in FIG. 8 to enable useof the undersize battery cells 23 where the larger cells 24 shown inFIG. 7 would normally be used. Up to the time the four rings 12 are tobe used, two on each cell, in widely spaced parallel relation, they areadapted to be stored two in the front end, close together, and two inthe rear end of the case, as shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 9 illustrates anotherflashlight where the case 22' is of a smaller size for which the batterycells 23, shown in FIG. 8, would norunally be used. However, in thiscase the cells 25, which are undersize for the battery case 22'. haveadaptor rings 13 supporting the cells to enable emergency use of theseundersize cells when it would otherwise be impossible to use theflashlight. Here again, the rings 13 will be stored, two in each end ofthe case 22', until a need arises for their use. Of course, there aremany occasions when an aviator and others in similar emergencies willfind battery adaptor rings of my invention very useful. Obviously, sincefour adaptor rings are needed for each flashlight, I may make adaptorring assemblies of rings 12 and 13 alone, supplying these in sets offour to take care of two flashlights like those shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding ofthe objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims havebeen drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 4 wherein the ring isdie-cut from flat sheet plastic material to provide an outer ring of alarger diameter than the said other one and having numerals 13 to 24 incircumferentially spaced relation thereon at 30 intervals, this outerring being adapted to be applied to the cover glass of an aviators clockin concentric relationship thereto and being detachably connected atcircumferentially spaced points on its inner circumference with the saidother ring designed for use in a flashlight as a battery cell adaptorring.

2. In a flashlight comprising a tubular case adapted to receive acylindrical battery cell with a close sliding fit, a bulb and reflectortherefor mounted in and closing one end of said case, and a cap closingthe other end of said case, the improvement which comprises a pair ofadaptor rings for supporting in coaxial relation inside said case acylindrical battery cell of smaller diameter than the inside of saidcase, the rings fitting closely internally on said smaller cell inwidely spaced parallel relation and fitting closely externally on theinside of said case, each of said adaptor rings being detachablyconnected at circumferentially spaced intervals on one circumferencewith another adaptor ring of another size for use in a similar manner inanother size flashlight with another size battery cell.

3. A flashlight as set forth in claim 2, wherein th rings are die-cutfrom plastic sheet material and the detachable connections are in theform of narrow Webs left along the line of cutting through the sheetmaterial.

4. As an article of manufacture, a battery cell adaptor ring for use ina flashlight to adapt an undersize cylindrical battery cell for use in acylindrical flashlight case,-

said article comprising a ring of flat material of an outside diameterequal to the inside diameter of the case, said ring being of an insidediameter equal to the outside diameter of the cell, the ring beingdie-cut from flat sheet plastic material, at least one other ring of adifferent size being die-cut in concentric relationship for use in adiiferent size case on a different size cell, the die-cut concentricrings being detachably connected at circumferentially spaced points byuncut narrow web portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,651,710 9/1953 Clark 24010.63,316,709 5/1967 Edwards 58-l27 X FOREIGN PATENTS 146,615 7/ 1920 GreatBritain.

JOHN M. HORAN, Primary Examiner

